Carriage-top



. (N0 Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

W.. M, WARD. CARRIAGE TOP.

N0. 372,949. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

(No Model.)

Sheets-Sheet 2. W. M. WARD.

CARRIAGE TOP.

Patented Nov. 8,- 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MARE WARD, OF GRAND BLANO, MICHIGAN.

CARRIAGE-TOP.

fEvPECII-ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,949, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed July 11, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MARR WARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Grand Blanc,in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Raising and Lowering Carriage-Tops; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a device for raising and lowering carriage-tops, and has for its the occupant, said lever being connected to the carriage-top braces by intermediate connections secured firmly to the braces, thereby obviating all necessity of the attachments slidingupon the braces or of so loose connection as to permit of rattling at thispoint. I have also arranged for constructing my improvement integral with the top or attachable to those already constructed.

The invention also consists of various parts and details, hereinafter more fully setforth and described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carriagetop provided with my attachments. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a hanger employed in attaching myimprovements to the carriage. Fig. 5 is a similar View of a modified form of hanger. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a clasp for attaching the jointed arms to the carriagebraces. Fig. 4. is a plan view in cross-section on lines a: m, Fig. 1, showing the clasp in position upon the brace, the arm being pivoted raising the top.

is journaled in bearings formed integral with Serial No. 244,003. (No model.)

therein. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof a carriage-top with my improvements attached, showing in dotted lines the movement of the jointed arms when in the act of lowering or In this view the rocking bar the top as shown .in the detail view, Fig. 7, the jointed arms being attached to the carriage-braces by being journaled upon studs formed upon the carriage-braces, as shown in the detail view in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is a detail View of a clasp provided with a stud, and showing the arm pivoted thereon.

A is the carriageseat; B, the top, having jointed braces Oone' on each sideand side rails, D. These parts, being of the usual construction, need no further description.

E, Fig. 2, is a two-part hanger, adapted to fit upon and embrace the side rail, D, one being attached to each rail, and having a projecting end of sufficient length to reach beyond the studs D, upon which the bracesO are j ournaled. The projecting end of this hanger has a perforation, G, into which the rocking bar His journaled. In Fig. 5 thishanger is shown as formed with a projection, E, adapted to fit over stud D, for the purpose of giving rigidity to the same. Upon the ends of rocking bar H are fastened jointed arms K, preferably by squaring the ends of said bar and slipping the end of arm K (which has a square perforation) upon the same, and securing the arm from longitudinal displacement by any preferred means, thereby: securing rotation of the arm corresponding with the rotation of the bar. Arms K are formed with a rule-j oint intermediate their lengths, and are firmly secured to the carriage-braces by any means that will prevent their longitudinal movement or rattling. As shown in Fig. 1, this is accomplished by means of clasps L. (Shown in detail in Fig. 3 and in horizontal cross-section in Fig. 4.) These clasps are formed of two parts, each part being hollowed out to conform to the size and shape of the carriage-braces, and are perforated at their projecting ends at O and P for the insertion of bolts 0 and P, respectively, the rear sides of the clasps having ledges O, to form spaces, into which are pivoted the up per ends of arms K, and allow the clasps to be rigidly secured to the braces Without impinging upon said arms to prevent their pivotal action. If desired, these clasps may be formed of a single piece embracing the brace, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, or be formed with a stud, 0, upon which arm K is pivoted and held in place by nut O, asshown in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 6 is shown a form of attachments adaptable to carriages formed with a View of using myimprovements, in which I form astud, 0', either integral with or separate from the brace G, and slip the perforated end of the jointed arm thereon it being held to place by nut O. I have also shown in this figure the side rails, D, extending past the stud E, and

J having perforations into which the rocking bar is journaled. This construction is shown more fully in Fig. 7.

J is a hand-lever attached to the rocking bar in a convenient position at the side of the seat within easy reach of the occupant of the carriagc.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen it is desired to lower the carriage-top, the occupant grasps the lever J, which lies in ahorizontal position at the side of the seat, and raises the same toaverticalposition. Thiscausesjointedarms K to breakjoints, thereby pulling upon braces O with a similar effect, and the top is easily lowered. The initial movement is shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, as indicated at J and K. When it is desired to raise the top, the operation is reversed. It will be observed that with this construction there is no sliding of the clasps upon the braces, with their tendency to abrasion of the covering of the same, and also that I am enabled to connect the jointed arms with the braces in such manner as to avoid rattling at their point of attachment.

I am aware that numerous forms of attachments for connecting the rocking bar with the top or seat, as well as of connecting the jointed arms to the carriage-braces, can be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I wish the present illustrations to be regarded as simply diagrammatic of some of the preferred forms that may be employed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a device for raising and lowering carriage-tops, a rocking bar j ournalcd back of the pivotal attachment of the carriage-braces, a hand-lever connected with the rocking bar and extending forward of the same in parallel relation with the side braces, and jointed arms attached to the rocking bar and extending vertically with and pivotally attached to the carriage-braces, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A device for raising and lowering carriage-tops, consisting of a rocking bar journaled back ofthe carriage-seat, a handlever attached thereto and extending parallel with the side braces and at one end of the seat, and arms having a rule-joint attached to the rocking bar and extending upwardly to and connected with the carriage-braces by being journaled on studs removably attached thereto, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testi mony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLI AM M A RR \VARD.

\Vitnesses:

ALEX. W. DAVIS, WM. ELLIOT. 

